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Winston-Salem Journal - Marshall Rallies Forsyth County Democrats

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Forsyth County Democrats rallied in downtown Winston-Salem Friday, welcoming U.S. senate candidate Elaine Marshall who made a quick appearance urging a last-minute voting push that will bring "souls to the polls" on Nov. 2.

About 100 people met at the Forsyth County Government Center, many wearing candidate T-shirts and carrying political signs.

"Prosperity belongs to all if we work for it," Marshall said to the crowd. "We do not believe the budget should be balanced on the backs of the middle class. The millionaires need to pay their fair share."

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, but "we've got to get Americans back to work," she said.

Women are entitled to equal pay for equal work, she said.

"This is not a women's issue; it's a family issue," Marshall said.

Marshall said her opponent, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican, is like many politicians who "do one thing in Washington and then come home and say something else."

"Burr has millions of dollars but we've got the people," Marshall said, urging hard work between now and Nov. 2 in getting voters to the polls.

Marshall has been N.C. Secretary of State since 1996, when she became the first woman ever elected to a statewide executive branch office.

Burr is trying to become the first senator to be re-elected to the seat since 1968, when Democratic Sen. Sam Ervin Jr. won re-election to his last term before retiring in 1974. Since then, Democrats and Republicans have swapped the seat five times. The other Senate seat, which was held by Republican Jesse Helms for five terms, was won by Republican Elizabeth Dole in 2002 and Democrat Kay Hagan in 2008.